Telephone charging device

ABSTRACT

Charging device associated with a telephone exchange and receiving from the multiregister of the telephone exchange at the beginning of each call a charging word including the address of the caller, the charge rate and the charging mode assigned to the call and, at the end of the call, an end of call word. The charging word is received in an input register, then transferred into one of a plurality of charge circulating stores sequentially looped through a common processor. The processor selectively receives, from a charge clock, bits of predetermined frequency, said frequency depending upon the charge rate written in the charging word and accumulates these bits in the charging word. Means are provided to process differently the calls whose charge is independent of time and the calls involving the transmission of charge signals on the subscriber lines.

United States Patent [72] inventor Christian S. Le Bellec 2 rue deRoud-ar-llloch, Lannion, France [2|] Appl. No. 67,925 [22] Filed Aug.28, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 7, 1971 [32] Priority Aug. 29, 1969 [33]France [31] 6929728 [54] TELEPHONE CHARGING DEVICE 2 Claims, 3 DrawingFigs.

[52] U.S. Cl 179/7 lit [51] int. Cl ..lll04m 15/00 [50] Field of Search179/? R,

[56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 1,194,009 3/1964 Germany 179/7 RPrimary Examiner-Kathleen H. Claffy Assistant ExaminerTom DAmicoAttorney-Abraham A. Saffitz ABSTRACT: Charging device associated with atelephone exchange and receiving from the :multiregister of thetelephone exchange at the beginning of each call a charging wordincluding the address of the caller, the charge rate and the chargingmode assigned to the call and, at the end of the call, an end of callword. The charging word is received in an input register, thentransferred into one of a plurality of charge circulating storessequentially looped through a common processor. The processorselectively receives, from a charge clock, bits of predeterminedfrequency, said frequency depending upon the charge rate written in thecharging word and accumulates these bits in the charging word. Means areprovided to process differently the calls whose charge is inde pendentof time and the calls involving the transmission of charge signals onthe subscriber lines.

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Christian S LE BELLEC TELEPHONE CHARGING DEVICE The present inventionrelates to a telephone charging device.

There are various modes of charging subscribers depending on theregulations in force in different countries; these modes are generallydifferent according as local calls or long distance calls areconsidered. For example, in some countries; local calls in manualservice are charged independently of their duration and the same callsin automatic service are charges only in dependence upon their duration.The call duration is divided into charging periods having predeterminedcharges but the charge assigned to the initial charging period is oftendifferent from the charge of the subsequent charging periods. The longdistance calls are generally charged in dependence of both the durationand the distance. The call duration is divided into charging periodswhose individual duration depends on the distance and varies as aninverse function of the distance. The latter charging mode is oftennamed charging by periodic pulses."

Other distinctions are to be made in the charging procedure according towhether charging pulses are to be transmitted over the speech wires ofhis line to the subscriber or not. Such charging pulses are to betransmitted to subscribers having individual meters associated to theirtelephone sets and to advance-payment kiosks.

The data which are intended to establish the charge for a call comprise:

the address of the caller;

the charging mode (independence of duration; dependence of durationalone; dependence of both duration and distance);

the charging distinction (sending or not sending charging pulses);

the charge rate or level;

the chargeable duration.

All this data except the chargeable duration form a charging word andare transmitted to the telephone charging device by the multiregister ofa switching network. The chargeable duration results from the timeinterval between the transmission of the charging word by themultiregister and the transmission of an end of charge word alsotransmitted by the multiregister.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a telephone chargingdevice, associated with a charge administration center and with atelephone exchange connected to a plurality of subscriber lines,arranged to receive from the telephone exchange, at the beginning ofeach call, a charging word comprising at least the address of thecaller, the charge rate and charge data selectively concerning theindependence and dependence of the charge upon time, and at the end ofeach call, a word signifying the end of the call, the device comprisingan input register for receiving the charge words and the end of callwords, means for converting the input register into a main circulatingstore, means connected to the main circulating store for reading out thecharge data, a plurality of groups of charge circulating stores, eachgroup comprising a plurality of charge circulating stores, a pluralityof processors each associated with a group of charge circulating stores,a register for reading out the charge rate, means for sequentiallylooping the charge circulating stores of a charge circulating storegroup through the processor associated with this group, means forselectively transferring the charge word received in the input registerinto a word in a given charge circulating store, a generator forsupplying, on a plurality of outputs, pulses of predetermined periods,means controlled by said charge rate reading-out register forselectively connecting one of the outputs of the generator to theprocessor associated with said given charge circulating store and foradding to the charge word the pulses supplied on the selected outputuntil the end of call word appears, and means controlled by the chargedata reading-out means for selectively transferring to the chargeadministration center the charge word circulating in the input registerwhen the charge data concern the independence of the charge upon timeand the charge word circulating in the given charge circulating storewhen the charge data concern the dependence of the charge upon time.

For applying a special process to the calls involving the transmissionof charge signals on the subscriber lines, the charging word comprisesfurther data concerning the said transmission.

The invention will now be described :in more detail, by way of exampleand with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows, in the form of a block diagram, a charging device;

FIG. 2 shows, in a more detailed manner, charging store groups andauxiliary charging stores which appear in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a diagram referred to in an explanation of the interlacing ofcharging store words.

With reference to FIG. 1, the charging device comprises a programmer 0,an input register 10, an analysis decoder and register 17, a chargingclock 12, charging store groups l-4, auxiliary charging stores 5-9 andan output register 13.

A time-base 11 supplies clock pulses to the various circuits of thecharging device. It also controls a charging clock 12 which suppliesvarious signals involved in the charging opera tions. These signals areeither pips having a period which is a submultiple of a minute, forcharging by intervals of fixed duration for example, or pips havingdifferent and discrete periods of, for example, between 8 and 60seconds, for charging by intervals of variable duration, which is knownas charging by periodic pulses. The charging clock is remote-controlledvia a wire for a change from normal tariff operation to reduced tariffoperation.

Each charging word contains a first part which designates the chargingmode: either a mode having a unit charging level independent of time ora mode having charging levels which only depend upon time or a modehaving charging levels which depend both upon time and distance. Asecond part of the word designates which charging level is applicable tothe call, while the first part also relates to whether the calling partyis equipped with a remote-charge meter or is an advance-paymenttelephone kiosk. Each charging word also contains the address of thecaller.

Charging words from the multiregister reach the input register 10 by wayof an AND-gate 14 and an OR-gate 15. An analysis decoder and register 17for decoding certain bits in the charging word is connected to theoutput of the input register 10 through an AND-gate 16. The chargingmode, the charging level and the distinctions constituting directivesare readout in the analysis decoder and register 17 and, according tothese directives, the programmer 0 is controlled by one of wires 171,172, 173 or 174. The programmer acts as a phase distributor providingphase signals 1 to 1 for programming the device, as will be furtherdescribed below.

The output of the input register 10 is connected to an AND- gate 13whose output is connected to the OR-gate 15, and to the inputs of thegroups of charging stores 14. It is also connected through a line 24 andan AND-gate 20 to a line 19 providing an output to the chargeadministration center.

When a charging word arrives in the input register 10, the programmer 0enters phase 1 In phase 1 the AND-gate 14 is open and the charging wordis received in the input register 10. In phase 1,, the AND-gate 18 opensand the input register 10 then functions as a circulating store. Inphase D the directives of the charging word are transferred into theanalysis decoder and register 17 while the word continues to circulatein the register 10, the gate 13 receiving, via an inverter 25 and anOR-gate 26, phase signals corresponding to those phases for which thegate 18 is closed.

If the charge rate is unitary and independent of the duration, theanalysis decoder and register 1.7 controls the programmer 0 via the wire171 and the programmer enters phase During this phase, the AND-gate 20is open and the charging word circulating in register 10 is transmittedon line 19 to the charge administration center.

In the same circumstances, if the charging word also comprises aremote-charge distinction, the latter is readout by the analysis decoderand register 17; the programmer is then controlled by the wire 172 andemits phase b During this phase, an AND-gate 21 is open and the chargingword is transferred into the auxiliary charging store 9, and then fromthe latter into the output register 13 via an OR-gate 23. The auxiliarystore 9 is identical to the other auxiliary charging stores 58, one ofwhich will be described below.

The output register 13 is connected to the control circuit of theswitching network which, on receiving the word from register 13, formsremote-charge pulses and directs them, via the switching network and thespeech wires of the subscribers line, to the caller.

When the analysis decoder and register 17 has read bits indicating acharge depending upon duration in the directives, it controls theprogrammer 0 by way of the wire 1.73 and the programmer changes directlyfrom phase 4 to phase 1 The processing sequence will now be explainedwith reference to FIG. 2.

Each of the groups of charging stores 1-4, for example group 2, consistsof four circulating stores 201, 202, 203 and 204 which are associatedwith a central processor 205 and controlled by the time-base 11. Theprocessor 205 also receives the charging clock pulses which relate tothe different charging periods. A series comparator 206 compares thewords emanating from the input register 10, which reach it through thewire 24 and the AND-gate 207, with those circulating in the stores 201to 204, which reach it through the wire 27, the OR-gate 210 and theAND-gates 211 to 214 which are opened sequentially during successivesquare wave gating pulses C C C and C supplied by an interlacer 218. Itis thus possible to process each of these stores in turn. The signalsresulting from these comparisons are applied to the programmer 0 bywires 28 and 29, via gates 208 and 209 which are open in phases 1 and 1respectively.

The charging stores 201-204 are looped back upon themselves throughprocessor 205 in order to permit the circulation of the words which theycontain, in a cycle of 8.125 milliseconds. The loop comprises a readoutregister and a writingin register and a series adder contained inprocessor 205.

The charging stores 201-204 are looped back upon themselves throughprocessor 205 in order to permit the circulation of the words which theycontain, in a cycle of 8.125 milliseconds. The loop comprises a read-outregister and a writing-in register and a series adder contained inprocessor 205.

The normal looping path is sequentially interrupted, when the interlacer218 comes into action, to permit successive processing of the words bythe processor 205. This is linked to the various stores, via theAND-gates 211 to 214 and the OR- gate 210, for the reading-outoperations. The processor 205 also comes into operation to rewrite and,if necessary, modify the content of the charging words, via AND-gates221 and 224. These receive the gating pulses C, to C, from theinterlacer 218, and the signals to be written-in through a wire 215 fromthe processor 205. The processing cycle for the words is 32.5 msec. forall four stores. The outputs of the charging stores 201-204 aresequentially connected through the processor 205 to an AND-gate 216, andthe output of the gate 216 is connected to the input gate of the inputregister 10.

The comparator 206, whose input is monitored by the AND-gate 207 whichis blocked during phase 0 gives a positive comparison result when one ofthe circulating stores 201 to 204 presents a zero or free word to theother input of the comparator. The signal which results from thecomparison is transmitted to the programmer 0 via an AND-gate 208 and awire 28.

Since there is a wire such as 28 originating from each group of chargingstores [-4, it is possible for the programmer 0 to receivesimultaneously signals from a number of charging store groups. Theprogrammer 0 contains a priority circuit, of a known type, which selectsone of the groups 1-4 when two or more are simultaneously in the callingcondition. The priority may, for example, be the order I, 2, 3, 4.

The discovery of a free word in one of the charging stores of a storegroup causes the programmer 0 to enter phase 0 which is divided intophases 0- 0 0 0 according to which of the charging store groups 1, 2, 3,4 is selected. If it is group 2 which is selected, the correspondingphase is phase 0 which opens a gate 217. This gate permits the transferof the word circulating in the input register 10 into the processor 205.

As already said, the processor comprises a read-out register, a write-inregister and a series adder. The charging word from register 10 iswritten by the write-in register in the free word of the circulatingstore 202 and the charging level is read by the read-out register. Thelatter is associated with a decoder which unblocks whichever of a set ofgates 2051, 2052, 2053,... transmits to the processor the charging levelpips corresponding to the level which is read-out and coming from thecharging clock 12. The processor 205 detects the arrival of a charginglevel pip, adds one unit to that part of the charging word which relatesto the actual charge, and rewrites the charging word. The order to besure that the addition of a unit is efiected only once during a charginglevel pip, these pips have the same duration, namely 32.5 milliseconds,as one complete processing cycle of all four stores 201204.

Phase 0 like phase 0, or phase 0 is an end-of-processing phase, afterwhich the programmer 0 enters the rest of phase 0 Although it ispossible, at the time of entry into the phase 0 to restore the inputregister 10 to zero and stop its cycling, this is unnecessary since thearrival of a new word from the multiregister expels the data containedin register 10 by interrupting its looping during the reception phase0,.

When the call has ended, the multiregister transmits an end of call wordto the charging device. The composition of this word is different fromthat of the charging word sent when the call was in course ofestablishment, and the part of the charging word which relates to thecharging level is now zero.

The phases 0,, 0 and 0 are the same as previously. Acted upon by thewire 174, the programmer passes from phase 0 into phase 0 During thisphase, the gates 207 and 209 are open and the word circulating inregister 10 is applied to the comparator. When the comparator recognizedthe identity of the caller's address in the word-applied to it fromregister 10, and in the word circulating in one of the charging stores201-204, it transmits a pulse, through the open gate 209 and wire 29 tothe programmer 0, which enters the phase 0 This, like phase 0 issubdivided into subphases 0 0 0 0, according to which of the chargingstores, 201-204 respectively, contains the circulating word which isbeing sought. It will still be assumed that the charging store concernedis store 202.

In phase 0 the gate 216 is open and the charging word sought isreintroduced into the input register 10. The word sought, which iscirculating in the processor 205, is erased and the gate 18 for startingcycling of the input register is closed.

Phase 0 is succeeded by phase 0., which opens the gate 20, and thistriggers the transfer of the charging word, the cycling of which in 10has resumed, towards the charge administration center. There is then areturn to phase 0 As has been already stated, parts of the directives inthe charging word are constituted by distinctions relating to remotecharging or charging by fixed periods. When the readout registercontained in processor 205 reads one of these distinctions, it hasrecourse to the auxiliary charging store, under certain time conditions.These conditions are: l in the case of remote charging, the appearanceof the charging pip in question; and (2) in the case of charging byfixed periods, 15 seconds before imputation of the next charge.

The auxiliary charging store 6 is associated with the charging storegroup 2, and the processor 205 transfers a part of the charging wordinto the processing logic circuit 61. This partial word is recorded in afree word pigeon-hole in the store 62 by the processing logic group 61which, like the processor 205, comprises a read-out register, a write-inregister and a series adder. The store 62 is a magnetostriction line,with a delay of microseconds. lt can hold eight words of 20 bits.

The store 62 is looped through the processing logic circuit 61. Thelatter receives 125 microseconds pulses at intervals of 8 millisecondsand 125 microseconds pulses at intervals of 64 milliseconds from thecharging clock 12. It adds one unit to the word circulating in store 62on each circulating cycle which coincide with one of these pulses, to atotal of 16 units. Thus one of two periods 8Xl6=l 28 milliseconds of 64l6zl second is obtained. The processing logic circuit 61 contains adecoder which, when it decodes the zero and 16 combinations, transmits acontrol signal fonned by a pair of pulses to the switching networkthrough an AND-gate 62, which is connected to the OR-gate 23 feeding theoutput register 13. Thus the auxiliary charging storeproduces a pair ofpulses which are separated by l28milliseconds in the case of aremotecharge subscriber, and a pair of pulses which are separated by 1second in the case of a subscriber who is charged by fixed periods. Thetwo pulses separated by 128 milliseconds serve to generate remotechargepulses having a duration of 128 milliseconds and separated by aninterval which is equal to the period applicable to the call (case ofcharging by periodic pulses). The two pulses separated by one secondserve to generate prior-deduction tone pulses.

So far the description has proceeded as though the circulating stores201-204 were processed sequentially by the processor 205. They each have65 pigeonholes for words of 160 bits, that is to say 10,400 hits, and adelay of 8.125 milliseconds. If one wishes to place the stores 201-204in sequence, it would be necessary to have available a word counter,which can count up to 65. Processing is facilitated if, instead ofinterlacing the charging stores themselves, the words are interlaced; acounter which can count up to 4 is then sufficient.

F IG. 3 shows the order in which the words are applied to the processor205, assuming the each charging store contains five words; in FIG. 3 thewords of the four stores are numbered in a single series from 1 to 20,the first store comprising the words numbered 1-l-4i, the second storethe words numbered 2+4i, the third store the words numbered 3+4i and thefourth store the words 4+4i, i taking the values to 4. The first wordNo. 1 of the first charging store 1, l, is first applied to processor205, then the second word No. 2 of the second charging store 11, 2, thethird word No. 3 of the third store 111, 3 and the forth word No. 4 ofthe fourth store 1V, 4, whereupon there is a return to 1,5; 11,6; 111,7; 1V,8 and then to 1,9; 11,10; 111,11; 1V,12; 1,13; and so on.

1t has been assumed in H6. 3 that each charging store has only fivewords instead of 65. It is possible to eliminate one charging store, forexample store IV. The sequence then goes from word No. 3 (111,3) to wordNo. (1,5), jumping over word No. 4 (WA). No special measures arenecessary when eliminating a charging store.

it has been assumed in FIG. 3 that each charging store has only fivewords instead of 65. It is possible to eliminate one charging store, forexample store IV. The sequence then goes from word No. 3 (111,3) to wordNo. 5 (1,5), jumping over word No. 4 (1V,4). No special measures arenecessary when eliminating a charging store.

What 1 claim is:

1. A telephone charging device, associated with a charge administrationcenter and with a telephone exchange con nected to a plurality ofsubscriber lines, arranged to receive from the telephone exchange, atthe beginning of each call, a charging word comprising at least theaddress of the caller, the charge rate and charge data selectivelyconcerning the independence and dependence of the charge upon time, andat the end of each call, a word signifying the end of the call, the

device comprising an input register for receiving the charge words andthe end of call words, means for converting the input register into amain circulating store, means connected to the main circulating storefor reading out the charge data, a plurality of groups of chargecirculating stores, each group comprising a plurality of chargecirculating stores, a plurality of processors each associated with agroup of charge reading out stores a register for reading-out the chargerate, means for sequentially looping the charge circulating stores of acharge circulating store group through the processor associated withthis group, means for selectively transferring the charge word receivedin the input register into a word in a given charge circulating store, agenerator for supplying, on a plurality of outputs, pulses ofpredetermined periods, means controlled by said charge rate reading-outregister for selectively connecting one of the outputs of the generatorto the processor associated with said given charge circulating store andfor adding to the charge word the pulses supplied on the selected outputuntil the end of call word appears, and means controlled by the chargedata reading-out means for selectively transferring to the chargeadministration center the charge word circulating in the input registerwhen the charge data concern the independence of the charge upon timeand the charge word circulating in the given charge circulating storewhen the charge data concern the dependence of the charge upon time.

2. A telephone charging device, associated with a charge administrationcenter and with a telephone exchange connected to a plurality ofsubscriber lines, arranged to receive from the telephone exchange, atthe beginning of each call, a charging word comprising at least theaddress of the caller, the charge rate, charge data selectivelyconcerning the independence and dependence of the charge upon time andfurther charge data selectively concerning the nontransmission andtransmission of charge signals upon the subscriber lines, and at the endof each call, a word signifying the end of the call, the devicecomprising an input register for receiving the charge words and the endof call words, means for converting the input register into a maincirculating store, means connected to the main circulating store forreading out the charge data, a plurality of groups of charge circulatingstores, each group comprising a plurality of charge circulating stores,a plurality of processors each associated with a group of chargecirculating stores, a register for reading out the charge rate, meansfor reading out the further charge data, means for sequentially loopingthe charge circulating stores of a charge circulating store groupthrough the processor associated with this group, means for selectivelytransferring the charge word received in the input register into a wordin a given charge circulating store, a generator for supplying, on aplurality of outputs, pulses of predetermined periods, means controlledby said charge rate reading-out register for selectively connecting oneof the outputs of the generator to the processor associated with saidgiven charge circulating store and for adding to the charge word thepulses supplied on the selected output until the end of call wordappears, means for sending on the subscriber lines charge signals, meanscontrolled by the charge data readingout means for selectivelytransferring to the charge administration center the charge wordcirculating in the input register when the charge data concern theindependence of the charge upon time and the charge word circulating inthe given charge circulating store when the charge data concern thedependence of the charge upon time, and means controlled by the furthercharge data reading-out means for actuating said charge signals sendingmeans.

1. A telephone charging device, associated with a charge administrationcenter and with a telephone exchange connected to a plurality ofsubscriber lines, arranged to receive from the telephone exchange, atthe beginning of each call, a charging word comprising at least theaddress of the caller, the charge rate and charge data selectivelyconcerning the independence and dependence of the charge upon time, andat the end of each call, a word signifying the end of the call, thedevice comprising an input register for receiving the charge words andthe end of call words, means for converting the input register into amain circulating store, means connected to the main circulating storefor reading out the charge data, a plurality of groups of chargecirculating stores, each group comprising a plurality of chargecirculating stores, a plurality of processors each associated with agroup of charge circulating stores, a register for reading-out thecharge rate, means for sequentially looping the charge circulatingstores of a charge circulating store group through the processorassociated with this group, means for selectively transferring thecharge word received in the input register into a word in a given chargecirculating store, a generator for supplying, on a plurality of outputs,pulses of predetermined periods, means controlled by said charge ratereading-out register for selectively connecting one of the outputs ofthe generator to the processor associated with said given chargecirculating store and for adding to the charge word the pulses suppliedon the selected output until the end of call word appears, and meanscontrolled by the charge data reading-out means for selectivelytransferring to the charge administration center the charge wordcirculating in the input register when the charge data concern theindependence of the charge upon time and the charge word circulating inthe given charge circulating store when the charge data concern thedependence of the charge upon time.
 2. A telephone charging device,associated with a charge administration center and with a telephoneexchange connected to a plurality of subscriber lines, arranged toreceive from the telephone exchange, at the beginning of each call, acharging word comprising at least the address of the caller, the chargerate, charge data selectively concerning the independence and dependenceof the charge upon time and Further charge data selectively concerningthe nontransmission and transmission of charge signals upon thesubscriber lines, and at the end of each call, a word signifying the endof the call, the device comprising an input register for receiving thecharge words and the end of call words, means for converting the inputregister into a main circulating store, means connected to the maincirculating store for reading out the charge data, a plurality of groupsof charge circulating stores, each group comprising a plurality ofcharge circulating stores, a plurality of processors each associatedwith a group of charge circulating stores, a register for reading outthe charge rate, means for reading out the further charge data, meansfor sequentially looping the charge circulating stores of a chargecirculating store group through the processor associated with thisgroup, means for selectively transferring the charge word received inthe input register into a word in a given charge circulating store, agenerator for supplying, on a plurality of outputs, pulses ofpredetermined periods, means controlled by said charge rate reading-outregister for selectively connecting one of the outputs of the generatorto the processor associated with said given charge circulating store andfor adding to the charge word the pulses supplied on the selected outputuntil the end of call word appears, means for sending on the subscriberlines charge signals, means controlled by the charge data reading-outmeans for selectively transferring to the charge administration centerthe charge word circulating in the input register when the charge dataconcern the independence of the charge upon time and the charge wordcirculating in the given charge circulating store when the charge dataconcern the dependence of the charge upon time, and means controlled bythe further charge data reading-out means for actuating said chargesignals sending means.